1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beverage dispensers and more specifically to a beverage dispenser particularly suited for alcoholic beverages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beverage dispensers of the prior art include water coolers, water bottle supports for purified drinking water, and beverage dispensers for liquor. Many beverage dispensers are designed for water and typically have a containment vessel that contains water from a refill bottle. A seal between the bottle and the vessel helps to prevent bacteria build up in the vessel as well as to prevent entry of foreign debris to the vessel.
One dispensing system has a non-metallic bottle and a dispensing device with a tap. A connector joins the dispensing device to the neck of the bottle in a liquid-tight manner. The bottle is positioned upside down for dispensing to take place through the dispensing device. This position also allows the connecting piece to hold a ventilation pipe extending inside the bottle from the connecting piece upwards to the bottom of the bottle.
In another liquid dispenser described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,718, an inverted, rigid, screw-neck bottle screws onto an upwardly-directed threaded socket in the base to form a liquid-tight seal between the bottle and the base. The base has a port to release liquid to a threaded nose that is coupled to a tap. An air bleed arrangement delivers atmospheric air through a stem that extends into the bottle when the bottle is mounted on the base.